Fitness on Your Phone: Apps for Good Health

Two years ago, I fell down a flight of 14 stairs and straight into a wall upon landing. I slipped on the long hem of my jeans and down I went, literally head over heels. Honestly, I was lucky to hobble away with only my right foot in a cast. It’s a miracle I didn’t also crack my spine or break my neck. Despite my podiatrist’s prognosis that my competitive running days were probably over, I’ve managed to prove him otherwise: I’m registered for a half marathon in the spring.

One of the biggest changes I’ve seen since my earlier running days is the influx of apps for smartphones, specifically for Android and iPhone, so I can get back in shape with high-tech gear for a low-budget investment—certainly less money than a gym membership. My entire training regime is monitored, recorded, and motivated through my phone. And these apps aren’t just for running; they can help anyone who’s interested in learning more about health and fitness. Here are a few of my favorites:

Adidas miCoach Connect Workout Tracker

I rely on the miCoach app and GPS tracker—it’s quite accurate, and since it’s not built into a particular pair of shoes, I can move it from pair to pair. I’ve found that if I’m running on a treadmill or outdoors on a marked path, the distances always line up within .01 of a mile. When training for a race, this kind of accuracy is valuable for establishing goals and pacing. It doesn’t just track running, either. It has specialized tracking programs for walking, soccer, basketball, and tennis, as well as weight and stretching workouts. It syncs with digital heart rate monitors and has sports celebrities narrate the audio workouts. One of my favorite features is that it keeps track of how many miles you’ve worked out in a particular pair of shoes, so you know when it’s time to get new shoes to avoid injury.

Calorie Tracker

This app is about as straightforward as they come. You enter your height, current weight, and goal weight, and the program tells you how many calories you should eat each day to achieve your goal. Then, you log in each day and tell the app what you ate and how much you exercised, and it tells you how well you did toward your goal. Most of the foods I’ve consumed were already in the program—even my convoluted drink order from Starbucks! You can also learn about the nutritional values of the foods to see how much fat, carbohydrates, and protein you’re getting in your diet.

Fitness Buddy

I’ve often felt overwhelmed by all the equipment and workout options at the gym. This app is similar to having a personal trainer who can guide you through the exercises to help you achieve your goals, but without the added expense. My favorite thing about this app is the video component that teaches me exactly how to do the exercises on the equipment or on a mat (with my athletic background, I’ve had some great training with personal training and coaches who’ve already stressed safety). Some of these items are included in the miCoach app, but I prefer using Fitness Buddy because of the vast number of workout options—more than 1,700 and growing. Similar to the other programs, it also has a tracking system, so you can chart your progress over time.